English 100 – Introduction to College Writing

English 100 is one of the most special courses offered at Western due to its small, intimate structure and high level of individualized instructor attention. Each class only admits 15 students (as opposed to 24 with English 101), and is always taught by a full-time faculty member. This kind of close attention is usually only available to our graduate students.

What you’ll do in English 100…

English 100 focuses on helping you develop yourself as an academic scholar and writer. For example, you will learn study habits and close reading techniques that will help you read, understand, and discuss complex texts. The activities and assignments in English 100 bridge the gap between high school and college material, helping you become a college scholar—analyzing text structure as well as the author’s motives writerly techniques.

You will, of course, become a more effective writer. Writing is a practice you can refine and improve over time, and the projects you create in this class will give you multiple opportunities to test your skills and identify the areas you need to grow. You will compose arguments far beyond what you can achieve in a standard 5-paragraph essay. You will also learn techniques for informal, personal writing, which will help you test out your ideas, organize your thoughts, and better understand yourself as a writer.

Finally, English 100 will teach you how to effectively collaborate with other writers. In the professional world, we very rarely write without other people’s feedback or input. Learning to give and receive feedback is essential to your future success as a writer. One source of feedback will be your instructor, who will work with you throughout the class, giving you personalized feedback and direction on each of your writing projects. However, it is the feedback you receive from your fellow students, and the feedback you provide to them, that will drive your growth as a writer and collaborator the most.

 

The difference between English 100 and English 101…

English 100 focuses on many of the same skills you will encounter in English 101. The difference is the pacing and the depth. English 101 includes a graded, multi-draft writing assignment nearly every week. Furthermore, because English 101 involves such a heavy focus on research and rapid drafting, it moves fairly quickly through topics like how to read complex scholarly texts.

In English 100, you will move through the fundamentals of academic reading and writing at a more deliberate pace. There tend to be a smaller number of large assignments (often 2 or 3), which you will spend more time drafting, revising, rewriting, researching, revising again, and polishing. Throughout this process you will get personalized attention from your instructor, both during class and during your required individual conferences.

English 100 has been traditionally advertised as a kind of preparatory course for English 101, but this isn’t really accurate. The two courses offer different learning environments, while addressing the same learning goals. If you think this course may be right for you, approach it as its own unique course, rather than a preparation for your English 101.

Logistical considerations

Registration: Because English 100 is such a special class, it is only offered under limited circumstances. Only two sections of the course are offered each year, and only in the Fall quarter. The classes fill very quickly during registration since there are only a total of 30 seats available. If you are interested in taking the course, be sure you register the minute you can!

Course credit: Earning the grade of S in English 100 (a “satisfactory” or “pass”) earns you 5 credits for your transcript. It does not count for your GURs though, and you will still need to take English 101 before the end of your first year.

Timing: You can’t take English 100 and English 101 at the same time. So, just know that if you decide to take English 100, you’ll have to take English 101 in Winter or Spring.

A closer look…

Below you can find links to two syllabi from past versions of English 100. In keeping with the small-scale, individualized nature of the course, the curriculum frequently changes based on students’ interests. Consider these a sample rather than a guarantee of what your version of English 100 will be like.